The Ultimate $5K Mopar Challenge, Part Five

A tale of two Dusters, one with a 225 Slant-Six, the other with a 318 V-8, showing to A-Body points of entry to classic Mopar ownership.

Introduced in late 1969 for the 1970 model year, Plymouth’s Duster (and its twin, the Dodge Demon) provided Chrysler-Plymouth dealers a sporty, semi-fastback competitor to the new-for 1970 Ford Maverick and the AMC Hornet as well as GM’s existing Chevy Nova compact. Tooled up on a shoestring budget of $15 million (around $100 million today), the Duster gave Plymouth a sporty new model in showrooms in the Fall of 1969.

Did you know that for 1970 only, the Duster carried Valiant badging?

Over the Duster’s production run to its end in 1976, when it was replaced by the Plymouth Volare, it was offered in a wide variety of trim packages that included the Feather Duster, Gold Duster, Silver Duster, Space Duster (with a fold-down rear seat), Duster Twister, Duster 340 and Duster 360. They were powered by the dependable 225 Slant-Six and different versions of 318, 340, and 360 V-8s. Hundreds of thousands were built over the model’s 1969 to 1976 model run and many have survived the ravages of time and the tin worm.

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Our first Duster, from the photos, looks almost like a time capsule, white exterior with a beautiful gold interior that looks as if it was just driven off the showroom floor in 1974. (When well cared for and protected from the sun), the types of vinyl used by Chrysler Corporation in this period were almost indestructible. The seller provides clear photos of each side of the exterior and in the favorable light in which the images were taken, appears to be very straight for a car that is now more than 45 years old.

Given the condition of this Duster and its reasonable price, $5,200, if you’re happy with driving a Slant-Six Duster, this is one well worth contacting the seller in Monterey, California, through its Craigslist ad for more details.

The second choice is a partially restored Duster, this one more performance oriented with a four-barrel 318 V-8. The seller says that it runs absolutely perfect. It’s equipped, as many Dusters were, with a three-speed automatic transmission that shifts perfectly. It carries 340 decals on the rear quarters and has the always stylish and desirable rally wheels. The interior appears to be restored except for the front seat, which is serviceable but needs to be recovered to match the rest of the interior trim. The seller claims that the engine, transmission and rear end are the original components from the factory.

If you want to acquire a car with a V-8 but needing a bit more work at a higher listing price, $5,995, than our first choice, you would be well-advised to contact the seller through his Dallas, Texas, Craigslist ad.

The choice is clear here. The six-cylinder Duster appears to be the most cruise-worthy-ready, inside and out. The V-8 car, a bit beyond our $5K budget (with the seller saying his price is firm but the car has already been listed for more than a month) has more upside performance potential while needing more work on its cosmetics. The choice is yours as either provides an entry-level pathway to classic Mopar ownership.

For some additional, drive-ready Mopars, including a classic first-gen Hemi, check out these listings.

Our last choice, representing the 1990s, is the much-maligned Chrysler Maserati TC, truly a left-field pick. A cross between a shortened Chrysler LeBaron, a Maserati Biturbo, and a two-seat porthole Ford Thunderbird, a 1991 Chrysler TC by Maserati in this condition has likely reached the low point of its depreciation curve and has upside potential if properly maintained. It’s a final-year model powered by a V-6 in place of the four-cylinder found on earlier models. The TC is an acquired taste for most Mopar enthusiast but surprisingly, there is a small but dedicated community that supports these cars, of which approximately 7,300 were built. And I guess you can say that there is a bit of irony in the car given that both Chrysler and Maserati are now part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA).

If you want a more traditional, low buck Mopar collectible, if buying by the pound, the 1970s choice is stunning, a 1975 Chrysler New Yorker Brougham two-door opera-style coupe. With just over 73,000 miles, the photos show this one to represent one of the largest two-door Chrysler-built cars ever produced, a dinosaur made extinct by the 1973 OPEC Oil Embargo.

As previously, if you see an interesting Mopar on your local Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace, let us know at Mopar5000Challenge@gmail.com.